Ulster History Circle facts for kids
The Ulster History Circle is a special group that puts up blue plaques in public places. These plaques celebrate important people and places from the province of Ulster in Ireland. It's a volunteer group, meaning people give their time for free. They don't get money from the government. The Circle also helps keep a list of important people from Ulster called the Dictionary of Ulster Biography.
What is the Ulster History Circle?
The Ulster History Circle is a group that works to remember important history. They do this by placing special blue plaques. These plaques are put up in public places. They honor people and locations that have made a big difference. This includes all kinds of history within Ulster. Ulster is a province with nine counties.
How the Circle Started
The idea for the Ulster History Circle came from a person named James Hawthorne. He thought of it in the 1980s. He wanted to make sure people who helped Ulster's history were remembered. The exact date the group started is not known. This information was lost when James Hawthorne passed away in 2006.
The group is run by volunteers. They do not make any money from their work. They put up plaques to honor many different types of history. These plaques are placed across the nine counties of Ulster. Unlike many similar groups in the United Kingdom, the Ulster History Circle does not get money from the government. The Circle also created and looks after the Dictionary of Ulster Biography. This is a guide to important people from Ulster. Doreen Corcoran was the leader of the Circle from 1998 to 2009.
The very first blue plaque was put up for an artist named William Conor. It was placed at his old art studio in Belfast.
Who Gets a Blue Plaque?
Since the first plaque was put up, more than 150 people have been honored. These plaques celebrate people from many different areas. They include artists, writers, scientists, and brave soldiers.
Some of the people who have received a blue plaque include:
- Cecil Frances Alexander, a writer of hymns.
- Thomas Andrews, who designed the famous ship, RMS Titanic.
- Samuel Beckett, a well-known writer of plays.
- Lilian Bland, a woman who was a pioneer in flying airplanes.
- Amy Carmichael, a missionary and writer.
- C. S. Lewis, a famous author who wrote the The Chronicles of Narnia books.
- James Joseph Magennis, a brave submariner who received the Victoria Cross.
- Guglielmo Marconi, a pioneer in radio technology.
- Rinty Monaghan, a World Champion boxer.
- William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin, a very important scientist.
- Oscar Wilde, a famous writer and poet.
- Ernest Walton, a physicist who won a Nobel Prize.
